Tech makes the grade at Mini-Baja; engineering team builds skill while building car

The Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

11:35 PM, Wednesday, July 07 2004 | 467 views | 0 | 2 | |

By Arkansas Tech University News Bureau

A team of mechanical engineering students from Arkansas Tech University is calling its first-ever entry in the Midwest Mini-Baja competition a resounding success.

The competition was held recently in Milwaukee, Wis., and was one of three regional contests sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers. The competitions simulate real-world engineering design projects and their related challenges.

In order to make it to Milwaukee, however, the Tech team had to overcome several challenges of its own.

"The cost of designing, building, and racing a car in an event such as this is significant," said Stan Apple, instructor of mechanical engineering and advisor to Tech's student SAE group.

Fortunately, Tech found a corporate sponsor for the effort, Apple said. Hall Manufacturing, Inc., of North Little Rock, offered assistance.

"It is only through Hall's generous help, in excess of $10,000, that Tech was able to send a team to the race," Apple added.

Another challenge was simply completing the design for the race car on time, said Dr. Robert Frasier, assistant professor of mechanical engineering.

The work on the vehicle was completed in Frasier's senior-level design project class. Typically, students have the entire semester to complete the project they choose. In this case, because Hall Manufacturing was doing the fabrication work on the race car, all design work had to be completed by Feb. 12.

Once that work was complete, the students then had to shift their attention to all the preparation on the vehicle to get it ready for competitive racing.

"I doubt that many of these guys have had much sleep the last few months," Frasier said, referring to the students in the class.

The object of the competition is to provide SAE student members with a challenging project that involves the planning and manufacturing tasks found when introducing a new product to the consumer industrial market. Teams like the group from Tech compete against one another to have their design accepted for manufacture by a fictitious firm. Students must function as a team to not only design, build, test, promote, and race a vehicle within the limits of the rules, but also to generate financial support for their project and manage their educational priorities.

Tech's team was led by Evan Gray of Morrilton, who served as captain. Other team members were Chris Carter of Redfield, Josh McConnell of Hartford, Joe Smith of Mountain Home, Lance Lowery of Deirks, Eric Payne of Morrilton, Derrick Trafford of Hill Creek, Kyle Stobaugh of Kenwood, and Jake Guinn of Seminole, Okla.

Apple said that support from Hall Manufacturing came about thanks to the efforts of John Hebard, the firm's director of operations.

Hebard had worked with Tech in his previous capacity with the Technology Transfer Authority of Arkansas on several projects related to small manufacturing facilities in the state.

When Hebard joined Hall, he learned of the company's desire to start construction of an off-road vehicle for use on farms and construction sites, Apple explained.

At the same time, Hebard was also aware of Tech's desire to compete in the SAE Mini-Baja event and saw an opportunity for Hall to help out, while sharing experiences and information gained through the project.

Hebard said Robert Hall Jr., president of the firm, greeted the idea with enthusiasm, and work on the project soon began.

The Tech vehicle, in keeping with the major product line of Hall Manufacturing, was named Bush-Whacker.

Apple said the opportunity for Tech's students to compete in this year's event "is a vital part of student development in mechanical engineering. The experience they get from designing and racing in the competition is invaluable."

At the competition, teams are judged on the cost and design of their vehicles, as well as how they perform in the events, Gray explained. The race was run on a motorcross track that was about one-half mile long with "many large hills, jumps, bumps, and basically rough conditions," Gray said.

He said the trip was certainly educational "because we were able to test our vehicle and also look at the designs of other universities and see how well they worked. Everyone was very friendly and the more experienced teams were very helpful with tips on things we could do to improve for next year."

Each entrant uses a Briggs and Stratton 10-horsepower engine, which is supplied by the company to all teams as part of the registration fee, Frasier explained.

More than 120 teams competed, and Tech's entry placed in the top 52 percent, Frasier said.

"For the first time out, this is an outstanding showing," he said. "I know of several schools that have been racing the circuit for years who never passed the technical inspection this year. We passed on the second go-around, which is a very strong testament to the design skills and organization of our club," Frasier added.

The Tech squad "did a better and more thorough job of analysis and design than many schools with far more resources," he said.

Getting a chance to compete in the Mini-Baja gave the students a unique, real-world experience that will serve them well, Frasier said.

"The project was a lot of work for the students, but they had a good time and I honestly believe that the experience will help them as they begin their careers as engineers," Frasier said. "I know of at least two engineering managers who will be putting their resumes at the top of the pile, simply based on their Mini-Baja experience."

In addition to mechanical engineering, Tech also offers a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. Tech is one of only two universities in the state with nationally accredited programs in those fields.